LAPA Flight 3142

LAPA Flight 3142 was a domestic scheduled passenger flight operated by a Boeing 737-204C registration LV-WRZ. On August 31, 1999, it caused the fourth most serious accident in the history of Argentine aviation. 65 people were killed.

 Background 
It was to leave from the Jorge Newbery Airport in the city of Buenos Aires at 8:36 p.m. on that day. It was bound for the Ingeniero Taravella Airport in the city of Córdoba. They were carrying 98 passengers and 5 crew members. Due to some inconveniences in engine no. 1, 4 take-off positions were lost while the mechanics checked it and finally it was located at the head of the runway.  

At 8:54 p.m. (local time), during the takeoff operation, the aircraft did not take off and continued its flight beyond the limits of the airport. It crossed the "Avenida Costanera Rafael Obligado" Street. The plane dragged a car that was circulating. It finally collided with road machines, an embankment and a gas regulating plant. The loss of fuel and the gas expelled by the rupture of the plant caused a fire that killed most of the passengers who had survived the crash.
Investigation
The Argentinean Civil Aviation Accident Investigation Board (JIAAC) established that the "immediate cause" of the accident was the pilot Gustavo Weigel's failure to extend the flaps to increase the aircraft's lift. In addition, the alarm that alerted about the wrong position of the flaps were ignored for 52 seconds. The pilots continued to taxi, and let the aircraft exceed V1 speed or decision speed, which once reached made it impossible to stop the takeoff. 

The report found that there was serious negligence on the part of the captain Gustavo Weigel and first officer Luis Etcheverry, who died in the accident, as well as a series of shortcomings on the part of the airline.

 References 

 Other websites 
 "Final accident report." (Archive) Junta de Investigaciones de Accidentes de Aviación Civil  – Available on Wikisource

 Service history of the airplane
Website for the film Whisky Romeo Zulu (Archive)

Category:1999 disasters